There's already an outpouring of sympathy over the passing of one of the greatest actors of our time: Gary Coleman.
If I remember correctly, I think I met the guy once when his handlers brought him to Bannister Mall . . . Sometime before they tore it down.
Thanks to AWESOME TKC TIPSTERS, I recently found a photo of Gary Coleman with Paul LeVota the State Representative from Missouri's 52nd District. In much the same way Coleman single-handedly paved the way for NBC's sitcom domination of the 80's & 90's . . . His endorsement of LeVota is probably responsible for that guy's success as well.
If you have a local memory of Coleman, please share . . .
No, he wasn't a great actor of all time. Jeezuz H christ!
ReplyDeleteHe was a precocious black kid in a situation comedy written for his personality of california writer one liners.
A kid delivering adult lines! I'll admit I enjoyed his schtick, but Phil Silvers, he wasn't!
You look at that picture and you know damn well why we should not elect a LeVota pick to replace him in the 52nd!
ReplyDeleteI like Buckwheat better... much better actor.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is Coleman wearing?
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry to pop your bubble, but there are very few actors who are so talented they do improv.
ReplyDeletePeople on Carol Burnett show did. Certainly no one's better than Robin Williams among today's improv comedians.
But you should realize that MOST ALL television actors in situation comedies or dramas, from Lassie to Mayberry, Patty Duke, Bradys, All in the Family, Lucy to some extent, Newhart, Friends, Doogie, Ricky, the Jacksons, and Donnie, and the Brady's and Partridges, and Huxtables and Jodie, and Mickey's kids, and all and all.
We need to keep in mind that these kids, cute and familiar thanks to Hollywoods producers, really were just trained monkeys reading lines adults wrote for them.
None of them, Including Alex B Keaton, were particularly funny or clever as they delivered their lines. Just obedient in their readings under good directors.
This is why most actors have a bit of humility about them. They know they were just lucky and well connected.
Black actors like Gary weren't particularly pioneers, they just were able to manage a wave of popularity that Hollywood had created at that moment in time. The 70s just happened to have a trendy black TV wave that Jacksons, and some other black actors on shows were lucky enough to ride. All about timing.
I think they know they were lucky, but not any more talented than thousands of other actors desperate to get a break. Gary? he just looked younger than he was and learned how to deliver a deadpan line written by a television gag writer... and accentuated by a production laugh track!
I was the one who brought Gary to town back then for my comedy radio station. He very nice humble guy just like Paul I might add. We must met over 300 people to 2 days in was in town. And even if he was right in middle of a meal between bites he would take the time to shake a hand or sign a autograph. Super kind man RIP
ReplyDeleteElliott Threatt